Andrea Kalejova leaves court, still in her bridal dress, after appearing before a judge accused of arranging a sham marriage to allow an immigrant to remain in Britain.
Dressed in an expensive off-the-shoulder turquoise dress and white stilettos, she looks every inch the blushing bride.
But instead of an important appointment to tie the knot, Andrea Kalejova had a very different rendezvous to keep.
For she was appearing before a judge accused of arranging a sham marriage to allow an immigrant to remain in Britain.
Czech-born Kalejova, 22, and her husband-to-be Abdul Majid, 32, were arrested just moments before they were due to marry.
They were hauled from Manchester Register Office by immigration officers before the nuptials could begin and questioned.
And instead of a luxurious bridal suite the pair were ushered into cells where they spent the next two days waiting for their date in court.
A judge sitting at Manchester Magistrates heard the pair had been arrested for conspiring to obtain a right to stay in Britain for Majid.
Noel Griffiths, for Kalejova, said that was not the case and the couple had genuinely wanted to marry and they would 'strenuously' deny the charges.
Kalejova was granted bail while Mjid was remanded in custody until they appear before Manchester Crown Court in September.
Their arrest came the day before a major crackdown on sham marriages was announced by immigration minister Damian Green. He has promised a major overhaul of the UK Border Agency and said the Government was determined to send out a signal that Britain was no longer a soft touch for those people who arrived illegally but hoped to use the system in order to stay.
The number of sham weddings in the UK soared to 529 last year - a 54 per cent rise on 2008.
The UK Border Agency believes the tightening of immigration controls, the economic climate and efforts to clamp down on illegal workers are to blame.
An increasing number of EU citizens are marrying non-EU foreigners to help them settle in the country and enjoy the same rights as British nationals.
But instead of an important appointment to tie the knot, Andrea Kalejova had a very different rendezvous to keep.
For she was appearing before a judge accused of arranging a sham marriage to allow an immigrant to remain in Britain.
Czech-born Kalejova, 22, and her husband-to-be Abdul Majid, 32, were arrested just moments before they were due to marry.
They were hauled from Manchester Register Office by immigration officers before the nuptials could begin and questioned.
And instead of a luxurious bridal suite the pair were ushered into cells where they spent the next two days waiting for their date in court.
A judge sitting at Manchester Magistrates heard the pair had been arrested for conspiring to obtain a right to stay in Britain for Majid.
Noel Griffiths, for Kalejova, said that was not the case and the couple had genuinely wanted to marry and they would 'strenuously' deny the charges.
Kalejova was granted bail while Mjid was remanded in custody until they appear before Manchester Crown Court in September.
Their arrest came the day before a major crackdown on sham marriages was announced by immigration minister Damian Green. He has promised a major overhaul of the UK Border Agency and said the Government was determined to send out a signal that Britain was no longer a soft touch for those people who arrived illegally but hoped to use the system in order to stay.
The number of sham weddings in the UK soared to 529 last year - a 54 per cent rise on 2008.
The UK Border Agency believes the tightening of immigration controls, the economic climate and efforts to clamp down on illegal workers are to blame.
An increasing number of EU citizens are marrying non-EU foreigners to help them settle in the country and enjoy the same rights as British nationals.
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